In an interview with FreightWaves CEO and founder Craig Fuller on the FreightWavesTV show “Fuller Speed Ahead,” Eric Rempel of Redwood Logistics discussed the evolution of Redwood Platform Services.
Although brokerage has always been, and remains, foundational for Redwood Logistics, the company has pivoted toward some of the additional needs of its customers when it comes to connectivity and integration.
With this in mind, Redwood launched a consultancy practice with a focus on TMS and freight-tech integration, consultation and implementation service in its Redwood Platform Services called Redwood Connect. In the interview with Fuller, Rempel described Redwood Platform Services as “a way for us to bring the simplicity of enterprise connectivity to the freight market.”
Redwood Connect, according to Rempel, is more than just another freight-tech connectivity service. “What [Redwood Connect] really is, is a platform for integration, and integration requires people to help get it done.”
While Redwood Connect is an integration platform as a service, there are also hundreds of logistics experts who work alongside shippers and carriers, according to Rempel. These experts learn about the customers’ businesses and step in to help design and automate their supply chain.
With Redwood’s integration, customers can have confidence that their data is secure. As explained by Rempel, without the ability to stay connected, through Redwood software, it is common for systems to experience double entries, scrambled information between sales orders, inbound and outbound information traffic, and many other potential stressors. The ability to avoid such occurrences adds a lot of value to Redwood Platform Services.
With several connectivity services on the market, Redwood stands out for many reasons, according to Rempel. “We look at [connectivity] through a two-pronged approach,” he said. “From a technical side, we consider infrastructure and security so that our clients will never lose a message or receive a tracking update that an order didn’t go through.”
“From a business value or outcome standpoint,” Rempel continued, “We would say [to customers]: How do you want to automate and optimize your supply chain? What is the best way to receive tender and tracking updates automatically?”
Redwood prioritizes meeting the needs of customers. “As a top-tier logistics provider, I think it’s most important that we remember that our core business driver is to be a logistics company, but how do we make our customers better and ourselves better?” Rempel asked.
Asked where he sees the biggest opportunity in the freight space, Rempel responded, “I’d like to think that it’s through connectivity and integration because that’s what we’re working on and we really believe in it.”